Engraving of Firearms Parts
ca. 1750
Medium
Ink on paper
Dimensions
18 3/4 x 25 1/4 in. (47.5 x 64 cm)
Classification
Works on Paper-Prints
Culture
French, Strasbourg
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Jonathan and Elizabeth Roberts Gift, 2004
Accession Number
2004.57
Tags
About this artwork
This instructional engraving provides a comprehensive technical diagram illustrating all the component parts of flintlock firearms. The print is organized to show both military and civilian weapons, with a standard military musket detailed on the left side and the decorated elements of a more elaborate hunting gun displayed on the right. Each part is carefully labeled, making this a practical reference tool for gunsmiths, apprentices, and collectors interested in the mechanics of eighteenth-cent...
Art Historical Context
Created around 1750 by Perrier, a little-knownaver from Strasbourg, this ink-on-paper engraving offers a meticulous technical diagram of flintlock firearm components. Measuring 18¾ x 25¼ inches, it neatly divides its composition: a standard military musket on left and an ornate hunting gun on the right, every part—from locks to triggers—precisely labeled. As a practical reference for gunsmiths, apprentices, collectors, it captures the intricate craftsmanship of 18th-century. Strasbourg, a key firearms manufacturing hub in eastern France due to its strategic location, fostered such instruction...